George's Right-hand Man

GREENE: The collateral lines can provide some fascinating "cousins." This is one of my favorites!

Nathanael Greene, "The Quaker General", was born in 1742. His father was described as "an anchor-smith, a Quaker and a fanatic, who brooked no compromise with the world, the flesh and the devil, whose broad brim and cut-a-way, high-collared and stiff, were always of the most sanctimonious fashion - the lines of whose life had no softening save as found in the gentle 'thee' and 'thou' of Quaker speech. Unsparingly severe toward himself, he scorned and pitilessly scourged all self-indulgence in his bright, gay-tempered son, who evaded the iron rule of his sire for his own conscience sake, whenever occasion presented itself." The same person described Nathanael as "a brave, ingenious strategist long before George Washington found him out! The youngsters of that day called him 'Natty,' but to the Quakers he was known as Nathanael, though not 'without guile,' as despite his collarless, spike-tailed drab coat, Nathanael was a sad dandy at heart and a worldling Quaker!"

In 1740 Nathanael's father and uncles became owners of the mill properties. They opened a second mill at Coventry in 1741. The Coventry mill maintained over one hundred families. The mill village was called "Greenville."

The elder Greene believed that his sons should receive a limited education and be trained to work at the family "Forge Mill." Nathanael, like his brothers, worked as "blacksmiths" at the family business. Nathanael and his brothers established a successful forge on the southwest branch of the Pawtuxet River in Coventry near the Warwick town line.

In spite of his father's beliefs, Nathanael managed to study mathematics, history, and law. He was described as an involuntary member of the Society of Friends. As was the rule of the society, the parents were Quakers, therefore the children were also members.

In 1769 an agreement was made by Nathanael, Griffin, John, and Benjamin Greene for the management of the Coventry facility. With the move to Coventry, Nathanael was out from under his father's stern rule. He was able to pursue his self-education and help organize the first public school in the town. Nathanael was elected Deputy to the General Assembly from Coventry in April 1770 and held the office almost continuously until he was promoted to Major-General in the Continental Army.

The fever of independence overtook the colonies into the early 1770s. In 1773 Nathanael attended a military meeting with his cousin, Griffin Greene, and took an active part in military drills. The Quaker authorities made clear their displeasure and eventually excluded Nathanael from the Society.

He was influential in forming the Kentish Guards military unit at East Greenwich in 1774. Ten of the thirty-seven charter members of the outfit bore the surname Greene. That December, Nathanael and four others of high military rank were appointed by the General Assembly to revise the militial laws of Rhode Island.

Nathanael had married Katharine "Kitty" Littlefield in July of 1774. Kitty's family had settled in New Shoreham, Block Island in 1721. The marriage took place at the home of his third cousin, William Greene, who would become Governor of Rhode Island. William's wife, Catharine Ray was the bride's aunt. The births of Nathanael's and Kitty's children coincided with the winter encampments during the war.

On 8 May 1775, Nathanael was chosen Brigadier-General of the Rhode Island Army of Observation. He was at Boston on 24 March 1776, to begin his distinguished career in the American Revolution. General Greene was assigned to the defense of Long Island, arriving on 17 April 1776. His command was transferred to the Jerseys in October. He was actively involved in the disastrous Battle of Long Island and retreated with Washington across the Jerseys into Pennsylvania in December. By this time Brigadier-General Greene was Major-General Greene.

Nathanael's loyalty and dedication to General Washington was rewarded with his appointment as Quartermaster-General of the Army on 2 March 1778. It was not a job he enjoyed. Greene longed to serve his country in the field. He was assigned to the Rhode Island Expedition in August of 1778.

1780 proved to be an eventful year for Nathanael Greene. On 26 July he resigned as Quartermaster-General. After Benedict Arnold's failed attempt to turn the plans to West Point, New York over to the British, Greene served as president of the Courts Martial at British Major John Andre's trial on 29 September. Andre, General Arnold's co-conspirator in the West Point Incident, was hanged as a spy. Greene was next put in command of West Point on 6 October, replacing Arnold.

Washington had long lobbied Congress for Greene's promotion. The failures of Charles Lee and Horatio Gates finally earned him the opportunity.

Gates was placed in command of the Army in the South by Congress, without consulting with Washington. Gates suffered a humiliating defeat at Camden, South Carolina and fled to safety, leaving his troops in the field.

On 14 October 1780 Nathanael Greene was appointed Commander of the Army in the Southern Department. This made him second in command to the Commander-in-Chief. He assumed command of Gates' shattered army and began the task of running British commander Lord Cornwallis to ground.

Following Daniel Morgan's brilliant victory at Cowpens, North Carolina, Greene met Cornwallis at Guilford Court House. Although the battle was technically a British victory, the Americans soundly thrashed Cornwallis' troops. Cornwallis retreated from the Carolinas to Yorktown, Virginia on 19 March 1781. The British claimed victory over Greene at Hobkirk's Hill, near Camden, on 25 April. Greene laid siege to Ninety-Six from 22 May - 19 June. He defeated the British at Eutaw Springs on 8 September. Meanwhile the combined forces of the Americans under Washington and the French under Rochambeau laid siege to Yorktown, forcing Cornwallis to surrender on 18 October. After Hobkirk's Hill, Greene wrote, "We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again."

General Greene marched his army triumphantly into Charleston, South Carolina to reoccupy the city on 14 December 1782.

For his service in the war, Greene was awarded with two pieces of captured ordinance, a British standard, and a gold medal. On 18 January 1782, the South Carolina General Assembly voted the General 10,000 guineas. The North Carolina Legislature voted him 5000 guineas and 25,000 acres of land on 13 April of that year. From the Georgia Legislature, on 1 May 1782, Nathanael received 5000 guineas and 24,000 acres of land. Part of the Georgia grant was the confiscated plantation of Lieutenant-Governor John Graham, who had remained loyal to the Crown. The plantation, known as "Mulberry Grove", was located on the Savannah River, about twelve miles from Savannah and consisted of about 2171 acres. Cumberland Island, near Georgia's southern border, was also part of the grant.

Major-General Nathanael Greene had received frequent praise from General Washington and Congress for his actions in the Southern Campaign. He had been a loyal and trusted officer under Washington's command. After Greene was appointed to command the Army in the South, he became second in command to General Washington. Had Washington died in battle, Greene would have been at the head of the Continental Army.

After the war, the Greene family settled at Mulberry Grove. On 19 June 1786, Nathanael Greene died suddenly from "a congestive chill induced by exposure to the hot sun when unprotected." He was 44 years old. On 8 August of that year, Congress resolved that a monument to General Greene's patriotism, valor, and ability be erected. The people of Georgia erected a statue of Greene in Savannah's Johnson Square on 21 March 1825. The corner-stone was laid by the General's friend, the Marquis de Lafayette. When the states were invited by Congress to furnish two full-length marble statues for the old Hall of the House of Representatives in 1864, Rhode Island submitted a statue of General Greene. In 1877 an equestrian statue of Greene was erected in Sherman Square, east of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Kitty Greene remarried 28 June 1796 at Philadelphia to Phineas Miller. Miller had served as a tutor to the Greene children and was eleven years Kitty's junior. The couple lived at Dungeness, Cumberland Island, Georgia. Kitty died there 2 September 1814.